Best Android apps of July 2014

We've rounded up the best Android apps to have launched in the last 30 days. We've got plenty of utilities this go-around, though there's also a bit of media to take in too.

Stick around, because we'll be tackling the best Android games of the month tomorrow.

NPR One

NPR One puts all of the thoughtful audio programming of NPR into a nice little Android-friendly package. It keeps tabs on the kinds of podcasts you're into and provides curated selections in the future. Local news is fed in with everything else so you get a nice mix. Of course all of the standard media controls are there such as pause, play, and skip. You can also share out particularly great episodes as well as discover new podcasts.

Anyone looking for something to listen to during their morning commute will want to pick grab NPR One.

Bamboo Paper

Bamboo Paper is a highly polished note-taking app designed for use with a stylus. Pick from a variety of brushes, organize your creations in a bunch of different notebooks, and share them out online once you're happy with them. There's no nickel-and-diming for extra brush types or colors, which is nice.

If you're in the market for some freehand note taking and have been perpetually jealous of iPad owners with Paper by FiftyThree, Bamboo Paper will suit you well.

Ovia Pregnancy Tracker

The amount of pregnancy-related data that Ovia can track is boggling. Keep tabs on weight gain, food intake, sleep, and exercise, as well as research symptoms, medical safety, and other articles to help you or your partner along the way. There are plenty of social elements too, so you can document the pregnancy and share out photos to social networks. In the next version, Ovia will even have tie-ins with Fitbit, Withings, and other connected devices to provide a full spectrum of important personal data.

Commandr

With Commandr, you can use your voice to toggle Wi-Fi, GPS, the camera LED light, and just about anything else you want through Tasker integration. This is done by plugging Commandr into the accessibility services built into Google.

Jink

Jink is a promising location-sharing app for Android and iOS. Users can see where their trusted contacts are in real-time and send messages to update them on how soon they can meet up. Your buddy only has access to your live location for awhile though, so you can maintain privacy later on. It's launching as a beta, but the simplicity and easy of use are big selling points.